Author Topic: Foale frame CB750  (Read 36075 times)

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Offline RupertB

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Re: Foale frame CB750
« Reply #175 on: May 10, 2012, 03:02:09 PM »
Fuel capacity is about 5 gallons (big proper UK ones too) but then it has had the oil tank put in which is in the region of four or five litres, so maybe a gallon. I should have a good three or four gallons of petrol in it when full which is more than enough to get me between filling stations. If I don't get some padding on that seat I will need to stop even more often...
Author of 'Prisoners Property and Prostitutes' by Tom Ratcliffe. Most readily available from Amazon as a paperback and electronic Kindle edition.

Offline Terry in Australia

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Re: Foale frame CB750
« Reply #176 on: May 10, 2012, 03:45:25 PM »
Sounds good Tom, it'll be interesting to see if there are any benefits (apart frome aesthetics) in combining the two tanks, is the oil tank insulated from the fuel tank? I don't know if oil heated petrol is beneficial, although co-locating the two tanks on Pommy bikes is older than prostitution, so should be fine, I suppose?

Yep, I think a nice upholstery job will enhance that seat, I've seen some of our American cousins riding around on fibreglass or steel seat bases, but I believe that they pride themselves in how much pain they can take in their nether regions, and even have a term for those who stand the most pain in their posteriors, "Hard Arses". I'm not sure though if this relates to all Americans, or just gay ones. Cheers, Terry. ;D
I was feeling sorry for myself because I couldn't afford new bike boots, until I met a man with no legs.

So I said, "Hey mate, you haven't got any bike boots you don't need, do you?"

"Crazy is a very misunderstood term, it's a fine line that some of us can lean over and still keep our balance" (thanks RB550Four)

maduncle

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Re: Foale frame CB750
« Reply #177 on: May 10, 2012, 10:03:19 PM »

Sorry to hear about your loss, I hope the family is doing okay. From my brief experiance wit haged care staff in the UK earlier this year I do agree with you - they do an 'unsung heroes' job in looking after our aged loved ones.

Mind you - try telling that to my nan, who thinks all the staff in the home where she lives are trying to steal her borbon biscuits.

So anyway - I love that tank and seat - just beautiful work. I hope you keep it in the raw metal shiny finish, it just looks so good.

cheers,

Cliff

Offline RupertB

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Re: Foale frame CB750
« Reply #178 on: May 18, 2012, 01:41:43 PM »
Finally, today I saw the tank and tail unit in the metal for the first time and they are lovely. Due to sad circumstances beyond my control everything went on hold for a couple of weeks, and I now have 12 days until I go to the Shetland Classic Motor Show, which was my original deadline for having the bike finished. Anyway I collected the tank from Nigel for safe keeping (his insistence not mine) and also the frame, swing arm and bits. The dry build showed the sprockets to be in line as well as the wheels so thumbs up for powder coating. There was a hurried welding session this morning to fix on the bits the rearsets will bolt to, then straight off to North West Enamellers for a bit of begging and pleading. They are a deservedly busy company, but with a bit of desparate grovelling has got a promise of Wednesday afternoon to collect the frame, and the tyres will be on the rims by Monday so will collect all the same day as the tyre place is in the same town.
Given that I will collect the frame one week before I travel to Aberdeen I rang Nigel and said 'this isn't going to have enough time is it? Do you want to forget the deadline?' to which good old Nigel said 'See you Thursday morning - let's see what we can do'.
Bless him!
So the revised plan is to have the bike more or less fully assembled by the deadline so I can take something very presentable to the Show. I think we will stop short of making it run as rushing a rebuild is fine, but I don't plan to tempt fate by firing it up in a hurry - that could be very expensive!
I also got my first view of the rebuilt engine today so there should be a couple of pictures attached. It looks brilliant but the finned starter cover should have gone in the bin - I forgot to tell Nigel but there is a chromed one which will replace it. Very soon! Also attached is a picture of how the engine was when I bought it - and it had a knackered crank and oil in it like a small amount of treacle.
Mor hurried scribbles in a few days I sincerely hope!
Author of 'Prisoners Property and Prostitutes' by Tom Ratcliffe. Most readily available from Amazon as a paperback and electronic Kindle edition.

maduncle

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Re: Foale frame CB750
« Reply #179 on: May 18, 2012, 03:24:34 PM »
Looking great there Rupert, I am well impressed that you are likely to get it ready for the show.

What condition is the finned cover in - wanna sell it?

Offline RupertB

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Re: Foale frame CB750
« Reply #180 on: May 18, 2012, 03:28:18 PM »
Finned cover is good I think - why do you want a finned cover? Unless you have a set of flares and stack heeled shoes to go with it! Will be in touch anyway when the thing is all together and I know how much junk/classic spares I have to get rid of!
Author of 'Prisoners Property and Prostitutes' by Tom Ratcliffe. Most readily available from Amazon as a paperback and electronic Kindle edition.

Offline Terry in Australia

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Re: Foale frame CB750
« Reply #181 on: May 18, 2012, 05:14:16 PM »
Damn my sleeping in, Cliff beat me to the finned cover! Oh well, I've probably got one or two in my garage, so no biggie. Anyway, it looks like you're getting close mate, well done! Cheers, Terry. ;D
I was feeling sorry for myself because I couldn't afford new bike boots, until I met a man with no legs.

So I said, "Hey mate, you haven't got any bike boots you don't need, do you?"

"Crazy is a very misunderstood term, it's a fine line that some of us can lean over and still keep our balance" (thanks RB550Four)

maduncle

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Re: Foale frame CB750
« Reply #182 on: May 18, 2012, 06:43:02 PM »
Finned cover is good I think - why do you want a finned cover? Unless you have a set of flares and stack heeled shoes to go with it! Will be in touch anyway when the thing is all together and I know how much junk/classic spares I have to get rid of!

You been peeking in my wardrobe?

I am collecting parts for a CB750 hard tail bobber project and finned covers are on my search list.

Offline ivanhoew

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Re: Foale frame CB750
« Reply #183 on: May 18, 2012, 10:41:15 PM »
Finned cover is good I think - why do you want a finned cover? Unless you have a set of flares and stack heeled shoes to go with it! Will be in touch anyway when the thing is all together and I know how much junk/classic spares I have to get rid of!

You been peeking in my wardrobe?

I am collecting parts for a CB750 hard tail bobber project and finned covers are on my search list.


just do it .

maduncle

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Re: Foale frame CB750
« Reply #184 on: May 19, 2012, 04:13:14 AM »
Brilliant - so now I am thinking clear covers and fish in the crankcase.

But can I get clear oil?

Quick - let's get back to that tasteful Foale build!

Offline RupertB

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Re: Foale frame CB750
« Reply #185 on: May 23, 2012, 12:33:17 PM »
Powder coated stuff and wheels with tyres collected today - very brief play with tank and frame in the garden and then put it away for taking to NBS tomorrow for final assembly. All jolly exciting - just hope it looks worthit when it is done, but I am cautiously optimistic. Should have some photos of the more or less assembled bike by next Tuesday if Nigel the wonder mechanic does his magic. Uninspiring photo of today's play is below... at least the sun was shining!
Author of 'Prisoners Property and Prostitutes' by Tom Ratcliffe. Most readily available from Amazon as a paperback and electronic Kindle edition.

maduncle

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Re: Foale frame CB750
« Reply #186 on: May 23, 2012, 04:24:58 PM »

Looking magnificant there!

I will be counting the days to Tuesday as I wait for more photos.

Offline Terry in Australia

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Re: Foale frame CB750
« Reply #187 on: May 24, 2012, 12:20:17 AM »
Ha ha, there's something ironic about being "cautiously optimistic" and then titling a pic of a bare frame and tank as "Almost there" Tom, but I'm a "Glass half full" kind of guy, so well done mate, and I expect that at this rate you'll be riding it by the weekend? Geez, a sunny day and no rain, has Britain plummeted into drought conditions?   Cheers, Terry. ;D
I was feeling sorry for myself because I couldn't afford new bike boots, until I met a man with no legs.

So I said, "Hey mate, you haven't got any bike boots you don't need, do you?"

"Crazy is a very misunderstood term, it's a fine line that some of us can lean over and still keep our balance" (thanks RB550Four)

Offline RupertB

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Re: Foale frame CB750
« Reply #188 on: May 25, 2012, 08:49:57 AM »
'Almost there' is pefectly reasonable - just needs a lump hammer and a big pot of glue and an afternoon's hard graft. Well sort of. It was a slightly tongue in cheek title, but when you think about it all the fiddly stuff is done, and the final assembly is relatively straighforward. A bit like decorating - a gloss paint job is quite easy, it is the sanding and filling that take the time and effort. After all the running about with bits of metal to metal finishers, collecting spares bby post in odd boxes, getting the tank and tail made, the wheels built and brake bits sorted, it is finally the rewarding matter of seeing all the threads drawn together. So many projects fail for lack of preparation - it is sad to see the way the guy who had the bike before me had bought new tyres and made a tank (albeit an ugly one) and bought stainless brake lines, yet never found out that the crankshaft was knackered.
Anyway Nigel now has a big pile of bits and will do his best to get it sorted for next Tuesday when he should be bringing it up to me to load into the horsebox to take to Shetland. Will let you know, with pictures.
Author of 'Prisoners Property and Prostitutes' by Tom Ratcliffe. Most readily available from Amazon as a paperback and electronic Kindle edition.

Offline Syscrush

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Re: Foale frame CB750
« Reply #189 on: May 31, 2012, 09:38:08 PM »
Sounds good Tom, it'll be interesting to see if there are any benefits (apart frome aesthetics) in combining the two tanks, is the oil tank insulated from the fuel tank? I don't know if oil heated petrol is beneficial, although co-locating the two tanks on Pommy bikes is older than prostitution, so should be fine, I suppose?
It seems to me that it would have to increase the chances of vapor lock under at least some circumstances.  But it's true that it's not uncommon, and it can look really great (as with Rupert's setup).  Maybe it's a theoretical issue that doesn't really manifest in reality?
Life is precious: wear your f'n helmet!
There's nothing more expensive than a free bike...
FWIW, I'm not a shill for Race Tech - I've just got a thing for good suspension and the RTCE's are the most cost-effective mod for these old damping rod front ends.

Offline Terry in Australia

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Re: Foale frame CB750
« Reply #190 on: May 31, 2012, 11:56:50 PM »
Sounds good Tom, it'll be interesting to see if there are any benefits (apart frome aesthetics) in combining the two tanks, is the oil tank insulated from the fuel tank? I don't know if oil heated petrol is beneficial, although co-locating the two tanks on Pommy bikes is older than prostitution, so should be fine, I suppose?
It seems to me that it would have to increase the chances of vapor lock under at least some circumstances.  But it's true that it's not uncommon, and it can look really great (as with Rupert's setup).  Maybe it's a theoretical issue that doesn't really manifest in reality?

Hmmnnn, I don't know mate, I was admiring my cousin's 1944 Indian "Military" Chief early on Tuesday morning, (He was collecting it from a local museum where it's on temporary display, to ride it to the funeral of the previous owner)the Chief has an oil tank built into the front of the right hand side gas tank with no apparent insulation. I didn't think to ask him if this is a problem, but he did surprise me with the news that after only 3 years and around 10,000 easy miles, his engine is due for another entire $3500 rebuild! I don't think I could afford to be a vintage Indian owner! ;D
I was feeling sorry for myself because I couldn't afford new bike boots, until I met a man with no legs.

So I said, "Hey mate, you haven't got any bike boots you don't need, do you?"

"Crazy is a very misunderstood term, it's a fine line that some of us can lean over and still keep our balance" (thanks RB550Four)

Offline RupertB

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Re: Foale frame CB750
« Reply #191 on: June 04, 2012, 12:38:35 PM »
Hi folks - sorry not to post last Tuesday but Nigel the restorer didn't finish work until after 8 that night and actually delivered the bike at ten past six the following morning - he was up at 4 o'clock in the morning to do it, what a hero. So we loaded it up and set off to Shetland, getting there at 7.30 on Thursday (drive 370 miles to Aberdeen then get the overnight ferry to Lerwick).
It was well received at  the show too, despite only being part-completed, but it looks highly promising. I also took the Benelli and went on the Sunday morning run with the Rudge owners - there were 6 bikes on the run with 11 cylinders between them, and only five of them weren't mine!
Author of 'Prisoners Property and Prostitutes' by Tom Ratcliffe. Most readily available from Amazon as a paperback and electronic Kindle edition.

maduncle

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Re: Foale frame CB750
« Reply #192 on: June 04, 2012, 08:50:00 PM »

That is looking great - I look forward to seeing some side on photos that can show off the frame.

Offline RupertB

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Re: Foale frame CB750
« Reply #193 on: June 05, 2012, 03:35:58 PM »
Couple of side(ish) pics for you - will try to get some more in due course but bike is currently in mother-in-law's garage to reduce risk of damage until I can get it back to NBS for further work. Personally I like the look of the carbs too...
Author of 'Prisoners Property and Prostitutes' by Tom Ratcliffe. Most readily available from Amazon as a paperback and electronic Kindle edition.

maduncle

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Re: Foale frame CB750
« Reply #194 on: June 05, 2012, 11:40:14 PM »

Love it!

I want a shiny tank and seat now.

And I don't remember you being seven foot tall?

It looks like a loooooong way from the seat to those forward extended clip on's.

Mind you - at least you would be ready to race lying down to get a grip on the bars.

Offline RupertB

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Re: Foale frame CB750
« Reply #195 on: June 06, 2012, 01:41:08 PM »
It is a stretch from the seat to the clip-ons, but now I know why the wife has made me carry heavy shopping all these years. It is because she wants me to ride a cafe racer!
The bars are off a Guzzi Le Mans and are not the final choice, so while rideable it will probably end up with some set a bit further back. I have to say I am not a fan of Ace bars so different clip-ons may well be the order of the day, but it is one of those many things which will need some fiddling with to see what feels ok and looks in keeping with the bike. It isn't as if I am going to go touring on it anyway, but will see what develops I suppose.
I will be getting in touch with Nigel to see about resuming work in the next week or so I imagine.
Author of 'Prisoners Property and Prostitutes' by Tom Ratcliffe. Most readily available from Amazon as a paperback and electronic Kindle edition.

Offline brandEn

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Re: Foale frame CB750
« Reply #196 on: June 06, 2012, 02:03:34 PM »
This bike is amazing. I love the tank and tail.

Offline Terry in Australia

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Re: Foale frame CB750
« Reply #197 on: June 07, 2012, 01:46:22 AM »
Looks beautiful Tom, well done. Chuck those Guzzi bars and fit some Laverda Jota adjustable bars, much more comfy mate. What's up with those Swarbick pipes, I thought they would have been a lot more upswept? Those ones are almost pointing down? Cheers, Terry. ;D
I was feeling sorry for myself because I couldn't afford new bike boots, until I met a man with no legs.

So I said, "Hey mate, you haven't got any bike boots you don't need, do you?"

"Crazy is a very misunderstood term, it's a fine line that some of us can lean over and still keep our balance" (thanks RB550Four)

Offline RupertB

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Re: Foale frame CB750
« Reply #198 on: June 07, 2012, 04:00:24 AM »
The pipes were fitted for the show and are not in final position yet - they will need something doing as the sidestand doesn't fit as they are at the moment, and there is no way I am leaning my nice shiny tank against a lamp post every time I need to stop!
They actually look quite unusual as straight as they are, but I imagine we will end up with them a bit upswept when all is done. The box they cam in from Swarbrick's had a little bit of paper with a hand-drawn sketch on it showing how to bend them to the correct angle - you start by cutting 90% of the way through them with two taped-together hacksaw blades, then weld the crack up later when they are at the right angle. Sounds so easy doesn't it....!
I suppose the easy bit is putting the engine in the frasme and the wheels on. The tank and tail were a bit tricky, and the other stuff like pipe angles and handlebars come ino the 'scratch head for ages' department. If that doesn't work then scratch other parts of the body and see if that helps.
Author of 'Prisoners Property and Prostitutes' by Tom Ratcliffe. Most readily available from Amazon as a paperback and electronic Kindle edition.

Offline Terry in Australia

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Re: Foale frame CB750
« Reply #199 on: June 07, 2012, 05:33:50 AM »
G'Day Tom, actually that makes sense, a lot of pipes are bent by the "notching and re-welding" method, so you can bend them to just about any angle, depending on how many cuts and welds you want to put in to them. If you (or one of your co-horts) can wire weld or braze with any oxy/acetylene welder, (TIG welding is unnecessary, as you'll want to grind the welds smooth, so they don't have to be pretty) you'll get a good result. Cheers, Terry. ;D
I was feeling sorry for myself because I couldn't afford new bike boots, until I met a man with no legs.

So I said, "Hey mate, you haven't got any bike boots you don't need, do you?"

"Crazy is a very misunderstood term, it's a fine line that some of us can lean over and still keep our balance" (thanks RB550Four)